The loss of local control and the ascendance of centralized control is a frequent issue in local politics, as state level leaders like to flex their muscles and exercise a greater degree of power while municipalities push back in order to better reflect the needs and desires of their constituents. It’s a struggle as old as time, and one that … Read More
This is How You Do It: Kudos to Scottsdale’s Leadership
By Alexander Lomax When the Scottsdale City Council and Mayor met last Thursday, in most ways it was a normal, even boring meeting. There were a few nominees for boards that needed to be voted on, there were some budgeting and zoning items that were agreed to by consent. But in some ways it was very different. That meeting will … Read More
What is Solange Whitehead Doing??
By Ronald Sampson When following elected leaders, you have to be used to disappointment. They need to make myriad decisions on votes and even the best of them have to make difficult and sometimes bad decisions. It’s a part of life…you can never expect perfection. But what this lame-duck iteration of the Scottsdale City Council has done has been beyond … Read More
The Slipper Fits: Arizona State’s Cinderella Season Becomes Even More Magical
The Valley of the Sun has been a success desert for football recently, best typified by the performance of the Arizona State Sun Devils. Two straight seasons of 3-9 records and sanctions left extremely little reason for hope, and the preseason expectations demonstrated that. Preseason polling had Coach Kenny Dillingham’s Sun Devils at the very bottom of the Big 12 … Read More
Working Hard…
Thank you for the email that was just sent to us showing this Axon hired gun, trying to block Scottsdale voters from having a say on the largest apartment complex in city history, taking a break to smoke some weed. Perhaps Axon should take a cue from this guy: smoke one, chill the heck out, and leave Scottsdale alone.
Tearing Apart the Data of the Scottsdale Elections: City Council
In our series where we break down the election results from Scottsdale, we have already looked at the mayoral race as well as the ballot propositions. For our third of three pieces, we will take a look at the Scottsdale City Council races, typified by major upheaval as both incumbents on the November ballot were ousted (after newcomer Jan Dubauskas … Read More
The Slipper Fits: Arizona State’s Cinderella Season Becomes Even More Magical
The Valley of the Sun has been a success desert for football recently, best typified by the performance of the Arizona State Sun Devils. Two straight seasons of 3-9 records and sanctions left extremely little reason for hope, and the preseason expectations demonstrated that. Preseason polling had Coach Kenny Dillingham’s Sun Devils at the very bottom of the Big 12 … Read More
Phoenix Festival of the Arts Returns to Hance Park in Downtown Phoenix This Weekend December 14-15
The two-day festival will feature over 150 art vendors, local eateries, Arizona wineries, local breweries, dance ensembles, art demonstrations, and live music Now in its 12th year, the Phoenix Festival of the Arts will return to Hance Park in downtown Phoenix on Saturday, December 14 – Sunday, December 15, 2024 to celebrate all things local with over 150 art vendors, local eateries, Arizona wineries, … Read More
Tearing Apart the Data of the Scottsdale Elections: Propositions 490 and 491
Scottsdale’s recent elections were interesting ones, with an incumbent mayor losing and two incumbent councilmembers losing their bids for re-election. And there was one (well, two) very clear winners in this election: Propositions 490 and 491. As a reminder, Proposition 490 served as an extension of the existing 0.2% sales tax which was expiring this year, reducing it to 0.15% … Read More
Guest Editorial: An Open Letter to Axon CEO Rick Smith from Former Scottsdale City Councilman and Chairman of Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions (TAAAZE), Bob Littlefield
Dear Mr. Smith: As you are no doubt aware thousands of Scottsdale residents from conservatives to liberals have come together to put the recent Scottsdale City Council approval, awarding Axon the largest apartment complex in Scottsdale history, to a public vote. What you may not be aware is that as of today, the halfway point of the 30 day period the … Read More